California Code, Business and Professions Code - BPC § 26153.1

(a) The Department of Cannabis Control shall adopt regulations to establish a process authorizing licensees to designate cannabis or cannabis products as a trade sample at any time while the cannabis or cannabis product is in the possession of the licensee.

(b) The department shall adopt regulations to establish a definition of trade sample, the quantity of cannabis and cannabis products that may be designated as trade samples, the amount of trade samples that may be provided to a licensee, and any other provisions necessary to implement this section.

(c) Cannabis or cannabis products designated as trade samples shall be subject to quality assurance and testing pursuant to Section 26110, and may be returned to cultivators and manufacturers following quality assurance and testing pursuant to Section 26110.

(d) Cannabis or cannabis products designated as trade samples shall be recorded into the track and trace program established pursuant to Section 26067.

(e) Cannabis or cannabis products designated as trade samples shall be labeled with the following:  “TRADE SAMPLE.  NOT FOR RESALE OR DONATION.”

(f) Cannabis or cannabis products designated as trade samples shall only be given for targeted advertising to licensees about new or existing cannabis or cannabis products.  The department may adopt regulations specifying additional purposes of trade samples.

(g) Cannabis or cannabis products designated as trade samples may be transported between any two licensees by an employee of a licensed distributor or microbusiness authorized to engage in distribution, or by a licensee authorized to engage in transportation of cannabis, including a distributor transport-only licensee as established by the department in regulation.  Employees transporting trade samples pursuant to this subdivision but outside of a registered vehicle of the licensed distributor or microbusiness shall be subject to possession limits established in Section 11357 of the Health and Safety Code.

(h) Cannabis and cannabis products designated as trade samples shall not be provided for any form of payment, consideration, cost, or compensation.

(i) Except as otherwise provided in this section, cannabis and cannabis products designated as trade samples shall comply with all applicable requirements for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, processing, storing, laboratory testing, quality assurance, packaging, or labeling under this division.

(j) This section shall become effective upon adoption of regulations by the department and no later than January 1, 2023.

(k) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may adopt and readopt emergency regulations to implement this section.  The provisions of Section 26013 shall be applicable to emergency regulations adopted or readopted pursuant to this section.  The emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety or general welfare.